Welcome Home
by Namike
Summary: One-shot. Post manga. Inuyasha and Miroku are out on a demon slaying task, while Kagome and Sango are watching over the village. What happens when the guys come back home? Inu/Kag


Hey guys! I'm still kind of new (if you count roughly two weeks of existence new), but here I am with my second story. I received very good reviews on my first story, _Just Like Riding A Bike_, that I was eager to write some more! Then again, even if I got bad reviews (or none at all), I'm sure I'd still be writing.

Before I continue, I'd like to thank all of those people that reviewed and gave me positive feedback on my first story. You guys mean a lot! I'd also like to thank Sassybrat, whom I have considered my first actual friend on here. She's just awesome with her stories and writing styles, so if you haven't already, check her out! Thanks for all of your feedback, Sassy!!

Now, without further ado, here's my second one-shot. It takes place after the manga, but not too far ahead. Inuyasha and Miroku have been sent off on a demon slaying task, while Kagome and Sango have been left with Sango's kids. What takes places while the guys are gone, and what happens when they finally return?

_EDIT: Removed Author's Notes in Story_

All comments/feedsback is really appreciated! Enjoy!!!!!

**Note:** Please do not show this story without due credit to me or notifying/asking me first. This story is purely from my imagination, and I don't like it when people take credit for other people's work. Not in any way do I own the characters of Inuyasha. I own my imagination and the stories that are its products.

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"Kagome, can you get that cloth out there on the clothes line?" Sango called from the other room. "Ashuko had another accident again."

Kagome, who had been staring out of the living room window, shook herself from her trance and replied, "Sure, Sango!"

Kagome got up and went outside, stretching and blinking a bit as the bright sun hit her face. She was dressed in her usual priestess outfit, her hair gently flying behind her in the soft wind.

Trying to see through the sunlight, Kagome's eyes scanned for the clothes line, and found it hanging between the hut's roof and the nearby tree. She walked over and took down a small cloth. Turning, she headed back to the hut's entrance, but stopped before the door. She turned around, towards the far eastern horizon, and sighed. It had been six days now…

"Kagome!" Sango called again, this time more urgently. "Do you have it yet?"

Once again snapping out of her trance, Kagome shook her head and proceeded into the hut. She reached the little bedroom where Sango was hovering over the bed upon which her youngest child, a baby boy, lay. As soon as she entered the room, however, Kagome was blasted with a horrid stench.

Sango sighed with relief when Kagome finally arrived. "Thank goodness. I was starting to think you had gotten lost," she chuckled. Kagome shot her a look of annoyance, and handed over the cloth. Sango carefully lifted the baby up and slid the cloth underneath him. After making sure it was placed correctly, she continued to tie the cloth on like a diaper. All the while, the baby had a calm and almost sleepy expression on his face.

While Sango was putting the diaper on, Kagome looked around for the dirty one and took it outside via the back door of the hut, which was located outside of the bedroom. She approached the draining tub to rid the soiled item of its contents. Then she took the dirty, now not-so-smelly cloth and put it in the scrubbing tub to clean it off. A few minutes later, Sango walked out of the hut to help Kagome finish up the scrubbing.

"Ashuko's back to sleep now, the little cutie," Sango said cheerily. She glanced at Kagome's downcast face and immediately became concerned. "Kagome, you okay?"

Kagome sighed. "Yeah, I guess. It's just been six days, and they _still_ haven't returned yet."

It took a few seconds for Sango to realize what Kagome was talking about. When she did, she rolled her eyes in an exasperated expression. "Kagome, I'm sure Inuyasha and Miroku are just fine. They were only called out to a simple demon extermination, after all. I'm sure they'll be back soon." Kagome nodded in response, but still frowned a bit.

Sure, Kagome knew it was a simple task that the two men could handle, but she wished she had gone with them. As of this moment, it had only been a few weeks since Kagome's return to the Feudal Era. Since then, Kagome and Inuyasha had spent every waking moment with each other, not wanting to be parted again. However, this most recent demon-related task had called for a long journey to a village on the other side of the mountains, and the guys had told the girls to stay home. Their reasons were to "look after the kids" and "keep the village safe." Despite those undeniable reasons, Kagome still didn't like being left behind. All she ever did was worry about Inuyasha's well being.

On a brighter note, however, it was good to have some quality time with Sango and her kids. Kagome and Sango always liked to talk about what the kids may be like when they get older, whether Kagome and Inuyasha may have kids, and just poke fun at their guys' antics whenever they were around. Their time together seemed to make the days of the guys being gone fly by.

'_Besides,'_ Kagome thought to herself, _'it's not like Inuyasha will be gone forever. If I can wait three years to see him again, then I can certainly wait a week.' _That thought alone was enough to put a smile back on Kagome's face as she and Sango started talking about Rin's latest gift from Sesshomaru.

Just as the scrubbing was done, Kagome sensed an aura nearby. It wasn't just any aura, though. She knew who it was, and it made her face light up with indescribable happiness.

"Sango! They're back!" Without giving a chance for Sango to respond, Kagome abandoned drying her hands and ran off in the direction of a small hill to the east of the village.

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"C'mon, Miroku, did you have to get so much?! It's practically blackmail!" a disgruntled Inuyasha complained to Miroku.

"Blackmail? Me? Oh come come, Inuyasha, you know as well as I do we deserved every bit of that rice and cloth," Miroku responded with an offended expression.

"You're such a thief, Miroku. It's amazing you still preach as a monk," Inuyasha shot back.

The two men were approaching the last hill that separated them from home. Miroku was using his staff as a walking stick like always, while Inuyasha was pulling a cart full of rice, cloth, and other small gifts from the villagers who had requested their help. True, they did deserve quite a bit of payment for exterminating the demon that took three days to finally capture and kill, but what Miroku saw as not enough Inuyasha saw as too much.

"When one as spiritual as me performs countless deeds of good, actions that seem to be of personal gain cannot even be worth being addressed," Miroku said matter-of-factly. Inuyasha snorted.

When the hill first came within sight of the two, Inuyasha was already itching to ditch the cart and go back home to see his Kagome. He had missed her too much these past few nights, always staying up to watch the stars, hoping she was safe. Now, with the village so easily within leaping distance, he didn't know how much longer he could contain himself.

'_Knowing Miroku, he can't wait to get his hands on Sango's butt,'_ Inuyasha thought as he rolled his eyes, sneaking a glance at the monk's face.

Then again, he couldn't wait to get his arms around Kagome, either. Her kind eyes staring into his own, her soft hands holding his face, her scent cloaking his senses…

Man, he was getting too into it if his nose was detecting her scent right now.

Wait, her scent? Was it…? No, it was real, and it was on the wind…

Inuyasha immediately looked up to the top of the hill, where he could make out a small figure standing still as the wind blew the figure's clothes and hair in all directions. Hold on, he _knew_ that figure.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha whispered, his eyes widened in surprise. Miroku, who had barely heard him, looked at Inuyasha, then followed his gaze and smiled.

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Kagome was on top of the hill looking down, squinting her eyes just enough to see two figures approaching the bottom of the hill. She didn't need to think to know who those people were.

"Inuyasha! Miroku!" she shouted joyfully, and immediately started running down the hill towards them with all the speed she could muster without tripping.

"Kagome!" a startled Inuyasha yelled back, dropping the handle of the cart he was pulling.

Kagome's laughter reached his ears, which twitched at the lovely sound. Oh, how he missed that laughter during those years… Oh hell, he missed it for the past week! Without holding back, Inuyasha started to walk forward, ready to catch Kagome in his waiting arms.

Kagome ran headlong down the slope, not wanting to stop until she was right next to him. Just as she was a few feet from Inuyasha, she jumped into the air, ready to tackle him to the ground _(hey, I would do it too if I was her)_. Before she could do so, Inuyasha caught her around the waist just as she was about to land and spun her in the air, her laughter ringing in his ears. Kagome rested her hands on his shoulders, closing her eyes as she was floating in the air. After a couple more revolutions, he set her on the ground and hugged her tightly, both with smiles all over their faces.

Miroku, still grinning, said, "Well hello, Kagome! Haven't seen you in a while."

Kagome pecked Inuyasha on the cheek and broke the embrace to turn to Miroku, who had adopted a what-about-me look. "Hehe, I know. Oh, and you'll be getting your kiss soon. Sango's back at your house with the kids." Kagome giggled slightly when Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her waist.

Miroku faked a sigh and responded, "All right. I guess I'll have to wait. Are you sure you don't want t—"

Inuyasha made a soft but menacing growl. "Don't even think about it, lech." Kagome giggled even harder.

Miroku put his hands up defensively. "Honestly Inuyasha, I don't know what you mean."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and said, "C'mon, let's get you away from the perv. He can take the cart the rest of the way to the village. Riiight?" Inuyasha stretched the last word to make a point while glaring at the "innocent" monk.

Another sigh. "Must I? It's har—okay okay okay I will!" Miroku put his hands back up as Inuyasha raised a fist.

Kagome, who was still giggling, released herself from Inuyasha's grip, climbed up on his back, and said, "Thanks Miroku! We'll see you later!" With that, Inuyasha bounded off to the two's favorite spot.

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Up in the Sacred Tree, which was blooming with cherry blossoms, Inuyasha was lying with his back against the trunk. He held Kagome, who was straddling the branch, close to his chest so she wouldn't lose her balance and fall.

"You know, Inuyasha," Kagome whispered softly while laying her head against his chest, eyes closed, "I really missed you while you were gone."

Inuyasha nuzzled her neck to breathe in that wonderful scent of hers. "I missed you, too. I'm sorry you couldn't come with me."

Kagome opened her eyes and turned to look into his and smiled. "It's okay. As long as you promise to come back to me, I know everything will be all right. Just…"

"Just what?" Inuyasha had a curious expression on his face.

"Just don't leave the house in such a mess when you go off somewhere," she scolded playfully, tugging on his left ear.

"Keh, that's what you're for, remember?" Inuyasha scoffed. Kagome pouted and tugged on his ear harder. "Ow! Kagome!"

"That's what you get, dog-boy," Kagome replied scornfully. "Just because I'm your woman now doesn't mean I'm the maid!"

"You sure about that?" Inuyasha replied with a smirk.

Kagome eyed him dangerously. "Positive. Now don't make me S-I-T you."

Inuyasha flinched, but recovered quickly. "Keh, you wouldn't."

"And why not, exactly?!"

"Because you'd come down with me," he replied with another smirk.

Kagome gave in. "I guess you're right…" She snuggled closer to him for comfort. Inuyasha rested his chin on her head.

"Inuyasha?"

"Yeah?"

"Welcome home."

"It's good to be home, Kagome." _'It's good to be home…'_

~ THE END ~


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